Gig review: Luke Haines & Peter Buck at Metronome

Music has a habit of throwing together projects from musicians, who, at first glance, seem equally eye opening and perplexing. Duos in particular have the ability to fuse together talents that in theory seem unassuming, but in practice are well crafted and bring together all sorts of influences. Having this in mind, the idea of former R.E.M guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Peter Buck (whose opening mandolin riff on Losing My Religion revived the instrument’s status in popular music, sending the band into a hyperdrive in popularity) and former Auteurs frontman and all-round misfit Luke Haines play together was intriguing to say the least. It is certainly a match I couldn’t have envisaged, but duo projects often have unlikely collaborators: think McAlmont and Butler or that strange time Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue worked together. Don’t be fooled by the names - sometimes the result can surprise you.

From the outset, it is a tale of two different musical backgrounds. For Buck, being part of one of the most - if not the most - influential American bands of the past 40 years with multiple platinum-selling albums and global arena tours stands in contrast to Haines’ more modest career trajectory, which was just as influential from the face of one of the 90s most misjudged bands to a maverick in his own right as a solo artist. Despite this distinct dichotomy amongst musicians, they can enlighten us as audiences with their talents, artist vision and raison d’etre as to why they are playing before us tonight.

Metronome isn’t ready for this experiment, but it might just be the perfect place to conduct it with the ultra absorbent walls to capture this great piece of music.

Buck and Haines are accompanied on stage by Scott McCaughey and The Minus 5. Despite being billed as a separate support act, the band rotate vocal duties with the first set having McCaughney on lead vocals, playing Minus 5 material, followed by Haines taking up the duties after the interval.

There is certainly an awe of nostalgia about the event, with the majority of those in the crowd being men of a certain age and definitely one for R.E.M fans. My dad, who I took as my +1, can remember seeing R.E.M back in about 1988 at the Concert Hall, just after the release of Green, and the fever that swept in from across the pond. There was a moment when they had finally landed in the UK to almost universal acclaim and Buck’s playing being one of the highlights of the show then.

Buck starts off on bass with the Minus 5 leading the line, and it is clear to see his talents on display by keeping the playing balanced and level. McCaughney, who is the former frontman of Yellow Fresh Fellows has a unique vocal style, one that is quite witty and idiosyncratic. It is quite typical of the college rock scene of the late 80s and 90s in America - one that compliments the jangly riffs and the melodic mellotron that echoes a psychedelic birdsong and provides a nice inclusion to sonic soundscapes being created. The songs are short, shooty and full of precision. The act of getting straight to the point is quite valid when the first set is only 40 minutes long. 

After the interval, Haines takes the lead and by doing so takes the British lead from the Americans on this tale of the Atlantic. There are notable differences in the way American musicians approach playing compared to British ones. The focus for Americans seems to be on the theory side, to be a good student of the instrument. Buck is a great student of guitar in a classical sense and is more than accomplished enough to employ it to a modern sound and setting. Armed with a black Rickenbacker, Buck’s playing is meticulous, jangly and vibrant. There is something quite beautiful about it, the way his fingers glide on the fretboard. Haines’ playing is more raw and edgy than Buck’s technical prowess. This is well-supplemented by the songs from their new album Going Down to the River to Blow My Mind, where Haines’ prolific songwriting abilities are on full showcase. This isn’t the first collaboration between Buck and Haines as they first worked together on 2022’s All the Kids are Super Bummed Out and 2020’s Beat Poetry for Survivalists.

One that especially stands out is the short, surreal tale Me and The Octopus, where Haines’ theatrics are met with the powerful intensity of Buck’s playing. It’s a song that reflects more of the British punk aggressive style and wouldn’t seem out of place if it was released at the height of the Punk movement, even with Buck’s preferred playing style being more melodic than heavy.

Despite being quite far back, the presence of Buck and Haines is clear to see, both are imposing and affirming their stature. Buck particularly looks incensed with his focus purely on his Rickenbacker and not the crowd. This is typical of any great musician (controversially); there is a predisposed appreciation for the crowd from musicians who don’t sing. As with all duos there's always the loud one and the quiet one.

Later in the set, The Commies are Coming is a dystopian look into the hysteria created by Western media in an attempt to frighten and divide people - nothing new there. It was met with quite a wry smile from those around me, something that we can all relate to regardless of age. There is something reminiscent of Beat poetry in Haines’ delivery, it is captivating, strange and the more alluring to anyone else who considers themselves a misfit who wants something obscure. It wouldn’t be a scratch to say Haines is our version of Ginsberg or Kerouac, a rebellious soul, who manipulates language in an unusual way and portrays a version of the world that is scary, messed-up and comedic. 

Would it be going too far to say that Buck and Haines are the most underrated supergroup? This label isn’t something we usually bestow on duos, but after a set that blended both the highly technical abilities of Buck and Haines’ aptitude for crafting songs with unfiltered expression, it might be time to take notice of this talented duo. This performance certainly made a very good case for it.

Luke Haines and Peter Buck performed at Metronome on 21st August 2025.